Fincantieri, Naval Group dub their joint venture ‘Naviris’

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  26 juin 2020 | International, Naval

  Important next step in the M Frigate Project

  June 25, 2020 - On Wednesday 24 June, the Dutch Ministry of Defense took an essential step in the replacement of the current M frigates of the Netherlands and Belgian Navies. The B-letter was sent to the Dutch Lower House, marking the completion of the investigation phase, with a design that meets the requirements of both the Defense and NATO. Damen, Thales and a whole chain of companies involved in naval shipbuilding in the Netherlands, are delighted with this next step. They are ready to start with the next phase of the project. Director Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding Hein van Ameijden: “This kind of launching customer projects are essential for the future of naval shipbuilding in the Netherlands. We are delighted that we can build the successor to the M frigates. Much more importantly, the men and women of the Royal Netherlands Navy will once again have an innovative ship at their disposal, to sail and fight with.” The main task of the frigates will be to fight submarines remotely. This will be performed by way of a new torpedo, to be deployed from the ship or by the NH90 helicopter onboard. This is one of the subjects stated in the letter that the Dutch Lower House received from State Secretary Barbara Visser. The current four M frigates of the Belgian and Dutch navies are at the end of their lifetime. In addition to submarine combat, the new frigates must be able to protect themselves and other units. They must be deployable worldwide for maritime combat and safety operations and assistance. This requires means of defence against threats from the air and enemy ships on and underwater. The frigate has room for a 110-man crew. For mission-specific personnel and their equipment, 40 extra beds and various spaces are available. The first ship is expected to be delivered in 2027. After that, operational effectiveness and safety of the ship will be tested. The Dutch Navy is expected to receive this first frigate in 2028 and the second one a year later. The Belgian frigates will be delivered no later than 2030. View source version on Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding: https://nlnavy.damen.com/important-next-step-in-the-m-frigate-project/

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  29 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 26, 2018

  NAVY American International Contractors Inc., Arlington, Virginia (N62470-19-D-5000); Bryan 77 Construction JV,* Colorado Springs, Colorado (N62470-19-D-5001); ECC-MEZ LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (N62470-19-D-5002); P. & C. Development S.A/Ergotem S.A. JV, Athens, Greece (N62470-19-D-5003); SKE-ICM JV, Viale Venezia, 79/B33074 Fontanafredda (PN) (N62470-19-D-5004); and Zafer Taahhut, Insaat Ve Ticaret A.S., Ankara, Turkey (N62470-19-D-5005), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build, design-bid-build construction contract for construction and renovation projects located primarily at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ), but also worldwide. The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all six contracts combined is $240,000,000. The work to be performed provides for tasks for general building type projects (new construction, renovations, alterations, demolition, repair work, and any necessary design) including: industrial, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, retail, food service, dormitory, community support facilities and both vertical and horizontal construction for Department of Defense activities. ECC-MEZ LLC is being awarded the initial task order at $9,990,000 for the construction of an Aircraft Apron Expansion at CLDJ, Djibouti, Africa. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by November 2020. All work on this contract will be performed in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa, whose area of responsibility includes facilities located in Kenya, Africa, areas managed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia, but also worldwide. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of October 2023. Fiscal 2018 military construction (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,040,000 are obligated on this award; of which $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); and operations and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 18 proposals received. These six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Central Lake Armor Express Inc.,* Central Lake, Michigan, was awarded a $59,369,617 ceiling, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production of up to a maximum 65,469 Plate Carrier Generation III – Soft Armor Inserts and data reports. Work will be performed in Central Lake, Michigan, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 24, 2023. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,220,578 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award and funds will before the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured as a total small business set-aside via the Federal Business Opportunities website with 13 offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-D-1509). (Awarded Oct. 25, 2018) Praescient Analytics LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $45,279,089 single award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, supply and services contract (N65236-19-D-1002) utilizing firm-fixed-price and firm-fixed-price, level-of-effort delivery/task orders. This contract is for the delivery of an advanced analytics technical solution (AATS) software product. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia (95 percent); and Charleston, South Carolina (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $15,701,990 will be placed on the first delivery order and obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The single award contract was competitively procured by full and open competition via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command - Electronic Commerce Central website and the Federal Business Opportunities website, with five offers received. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity. Huntington Ingalls Industries San Diego Shipyard Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded a $44,779,160 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS O'Kane (DDG 77) fiscal 2019 Extended Selected Restricted Availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS O'Kane. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $51,505,314. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by January 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); and working capital fund funding in the amount of $44,779,160 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $35,141,499 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4406). BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded $9,532,186 for modification P00021 to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-17-C-0001) to provide systems engineering and integration services in support of Trident II (D5) strategic weapons system, the SSGN attack weapon system, and strategic weapon surety. Work will be performed in Rockville, Maryland (70.6 percent); Washington, District of Columbia (14.7 percent); Kings Bay, Georgia (5.1 percent); Silverdale, Washington (2.7 percent); Norfolk, Virginia (1.5 percent); San Diego, California (1.1 percent); Barrow, United Kingdom (1.1 Percent); Alexandria, Virginia (1.0 percent); Buffalo, New York (0.3 percent); Downingtown, Pennsylvania (0.3 percent); Ocala, Florida (0.2 percent); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (0.2 percent); Montgomery Village, Maryland (0.2 percent); New Lebanon, New York (0.2 percent); New Paris, Ohio (0.2 percent); Wexford, Pennsylvania (0.2 percent); Alton, Virginia (0.2 percent); Springfield, Virginia (0.2 percent); Vienna, Virginia (0.2 percent); and St. Mary's, Georgia (0.2 percent), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2019. United Kingdom funds in the amount of $8,488,977; and fiscal 2019 research and development test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,043,209 will be obligated on this modification. No contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $54,626,116 labor hour and cost contract for the Unified Platform Systems Coordinator. This contract provides for continued development, integration, fielding and sustainment for the Unified Platform Program. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2021. This award is a result of a competitive acquisition and six offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Joint Base San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8307-19-F-0002). AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, has been awarded a $23,696,816 firm-fixed-price contract for non-developmental contractor-owned and contractor-operated unmanned aerial systems, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance. This contract provides support force protection efforts at airfields located within U.S. Air Forces Central Command. Work will be performed at Bagram Airfield and Kandahar AF, Afghanistan, with an optional site at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan, and is expected to be completed by March 27, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $17,556 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of this contract is $114,064,396. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-19-C-0002). * Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1674381/

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  16 juillet 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  ‘Gamechanger’ aerial drone arrives in UK after mammoth 24-hour transatlantic flight

  By: Beth Stevenson RAF FAIRFORD, England — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' developmental MQ−9B SkyGuardian made the first ever transatlantic flight of a medium-altitude, long endurance aerial drone. The unmanned aerial vehicle completed touched down at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom after a 3,760 nautical mile sortie from the U.S. July 11 that began at the Grand Forks test site in North Dakota 24 hours and 2 minutes prior. The journey was the first transatlantic flight of both the SkyGuardian and any MALE UAV, but also the first U.K. appearance of the UAV that the Royal Air Force will operate under its Protector program. The U.K. is the launch customer for SkyGuardian, and the journey to RAF Fairford to take part in the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) ties in with the RAF's centenary celebrations, as the MQ−9B will be one of the next combat aircraft types delivered to the service. L3 Technologies Communication Systems provided Ku-band satellite communication (SATCOM) to control the UAV throughout the flight with no handover to a control station in the U.K, although Inmarsat Government provided a backup L-band SATCOM capability in case of failure. A line-of-sight ground control station was shipped to Fairford and was responsible for taxiing the aircraft once it had carried out its automatic landing. It flew at approximately 27,000 feet for most of the flight, dropping to 9,000 feet and maintaining a holding pattern near Fairford for some 2 hours ahead of landing, transiting initially via Canada, over to the South of Ireland, and then over Wales before reaching its end destination. Jonny King, vice-president of GA-ASI UK, told a media briefing at Fairford that the transit demonstrates that the UAV is self-deploying, and the journey was relatively routine for the test aircraft — just with a different landing destination. It has previously flown a sortie of more than 48 hours, King noted, and for the transatlantic flight it was able to fly under the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's authorization, with support from the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority that granted an overflight permission for the transit into U.K. airspace. While the U.K. is on record as being the launch customer for the SkyGuardian through its Protector effort, the aircraft is yet to go through certification testing — one of the most distinguishing features of this variant — and will not be delivered to the RAF until the early 2020s. Development and certification contracts for Protector have been signed, but a production contract for the buy is not expected to be signed for some time, the RAF told Defense News. Air Marshal Julian Young, chief of materiel for air, defense equipment and support for the RAF, said that it is expected that Protector will be acquired under two direct commercial sales contracts and two foreign military sales deals with the U.S. government, covering the various elements of development and acquisition. “Protector is one of the most exciting projects I have to deliver,” Young said, adding that it will be a “gamechanger” in its ability to fly alongside manned aircraft under the remit of air traffic control, with the ultimate goal of being able to fly in open airspace alongside uncontrolled aircraft. “This is a key component of the future of the RAF's air power,” he told media at the aircraft landing event. “I hope this is going to set the standard for aviation. The U.K. is very happy to be the lead with this unique capability.” SkyGuardian has been in test flight for some 18 months so far, King said, adding that the second test aircraft – YBCO2 – will join the first aircraft in test flight in the next month or so. In accordance with the U.K.'s 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the RAF will more than double its MALE UAV capability, which is currently fulfilled by a fleet of 10 Block 1 MQ-9 Reapers, so as few as 21 could be acquired, although 26 is a figure that has been previously touted. The RAF has claimed that integrating UK-made weaponry is a priority for the program, so it will operate MBDA's Brimstone ground attack missile and Raytheon UK Paveway IV laser-guided bombs, although contracts for these have also not yet been signed. “Sovereignty is clearly an important issue,” Young told Defense News, adding that while the Reapers that were bought in the same configuration operated by the U.S. Air Force have been a capability that the U.K. has been able to effectively exploit, more sovereignty would have been an advantage. But “this comes at a cost.” He added that the training capability that the U.K. will use is still undecided on, although the U.K. is open to this taking place domestically or with other partners should another nation elect to acquire aircraft. SkyGuardian will be showcased throughout RIAT before being dismantled and shipped back to the U.S. a week later, King noted. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/riat/2018/07/13/gamechangeraerial-drone-arrives-in-uk-after-mammoth-24-hour-transatlantic-flight/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ebb%2016.07.18&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief